Single Line Stab And Coupler And Method Of Use

ABSTRACT

A single line stab uses internal threading that allows a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to mechanically mate up the stab and receptacle without the use of additional tooling. The use of a single coupler allows for a compact stab instead of the large junction plates that are currently used. Can be used to hydraulically control valves, inject fluid, or to sample fluids sub sea.

BACKGROUND

Current stab couplers rely on additional tooling to allow a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to externally mate the stab coupler connectors. The connectors are typically housed in junction plates which may need to be deployed via downline.

FIGURES

Various figures are included herein which illustrate aspects of embodiments of the disclosed inventions.

FIG. 1 is a cutaway view in partial perspective of an exemplary receptacle according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view in partial perspective of an exemplary receptacle according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view in partial perspective of an exemplary stab according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary stab entering into an exemplary receptacle;

FIG. 5 illustrates the exemplary stab, which has entered into the exemplary receptacle, with its grab sleeve collets engaged;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary stab which has entered into the exemplary receptacle being actuated by a remotely operated vehicle; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary stab which is fully engaged.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 single line stab coupler 1 comprises receptacle 10 and stab 20.

In a first embodiment, receptacle 10 is substantially tubular and comprises receptacle housing 19, back plate 18 disposed proximate connector end 16, and one or more hydraulic couplers 11 disposed proximate connector end 16. Hydraulic couplers 11 typically are one-half inch couplers but may be of any appropriate size.

Receptacle housing 12 comprises receiving end 15 and connector end 16 disposed opposite receiving end 15.

Receiving end 15 comprises open end 19, typically conically shaped, which comprises mating slot 14 through a portion of receptacle housing 12. Mating slot 14 defines key receiver 18 (FIG. 2) configured to cooperatively receive alignment key 32 (FIG. 3) when stab 20 (FIG. 2) is inserted a predetermined distance into receptacle 10. In certain embodiments, mating slot 14 extends through receptacle housing 12 to open end 19. As illustrated in FIG. 1, however, mating slot 14 need not extend all the way to open end 19.

In preferred embodiments, connector end 16 is configured to connect to subsea equipment.

Back plate 13 further comprises one or more collet receivers 17 configured to receive a complimentary set of grab sleeve collets 33 (FIG. 3), where each grab sleeve collet 33 may be configured to compress and then conform to a respective complimentary collet receiver 17. Back plate 13 is typically bolted.

One or more hydraulic couplers 11 is typically configured to be received at least partially into and through back plate 13. In certain embodiments, each of the ends of hydraulic couplers 11 comprises a medium pressure union fitting configured to be connected to a high collapse resistant (HCR) hose for stabs 20 (FIG. 3).

Referring now to FIG. 3, stab 20 comprises stab housing 34 which further comprises stab end 37 and handle end 38. Stab housing 34 is configured to be received into open end 19 of receptacle 10. Stab housing 34 is typically substantially tubular and defines interior void 36 at least partially therethrough. Alignment key 32 is disposed about a predetermined portion of stab housing 34, typically at least partially disposed about an outside portion of stab housing 34. One or more grab sleeve collets 33 is disposed within interior void 36 proximate stab end 37. Sleeve guide 39 is disposed within interior void 36 intermediate stab end 37 and handle end 38.

Locking rod 30 is slidingly disposed within interior void 36 and extends through grab sleeve collet 33 and sleeve guide 39. Locking rod 30 may further comprise boss 30 a configured to prevent grab sleeve collet 33 from over deforming. In certain embodiments, locking rod 30 is threaded.

In certain embodiments, spring 31 is disposed about locking rod 30 intermediate handle end 38 and sleeve guide 39 and configured to keep grab sleeve collet 33 engaged. Spring 33 is configured to provide pre-load tension such that as locking rod 30 progresses within interior void 36 and/or rotates it expands grab sleeve collet 33 first.

Handle 40 may also be present and attached to locking rod 30. Where handle 40 is present, it typically comprises threaded locking rod 42 and locking rod 30 further comprises handle attachment end 41 configured to attach to handle connector 42, typically pivotally. Handle 40 may be configured to be maneuvered by remotely operated vehicle (ROV) 100.

In the operation of exemplary embodiments, referring generally to FIGS. 4-8, stab insertion may be accomplished positioning stab 20 proximate receiving end 15 of substantially tubular receptacle 10. Receiver 10 may be connected to a predetermined piece of subsea equipment with metal tubing or with one or more HCR hoses, by way of example and not limitation including subsea trees, manifolds, and the like.

Stab 20 is then mated into substantially tubular receptacle 10 by inserting a stab end 37 of a substantially tubular stab housing 34 of the stab 20 into the receiving end 15 of the substantially tubular receptacle 10 and aligning alignment key 32 disposed about a predetermined portion of the substantially tubular stab housing 34 with key receiver 17 configured to cooperatively receive the alignment key 32 when the stab 20 is inserted a predetermined distance into the substantially tubular receptacle 10.

Grab sleeve collet 33 disposed within the interior void proximate the stab end is then allowed to compress and conform to a corresponding feature of substantially tubular receptacle 10 as stab 20 is inserted into the substantially tubular receptacle 10.

Threaded locking rod 30, slidingly disposed within interior void 36 and extending through grab sleeve collet 33 and sleeve guide 39, is pulled back by rotating handle 40 connected to locking rod 30. Pulling locking rod 30 back may further comprise pulling locking rod 30 into grab sleeve collet 33 and temporarily locking pulling rod 30 in place.

Stab 20 and receiver 10 are mated by continuing the rotation of locking rod 30 to advance stab 20 into receiver 10. Advancing stab housing 34 of stab 20 into receiver 10 may allow stab housing 34 to act as a nut on locking rod 30 in view of back plate 18 comprising inner diameter threads.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the inventions are illustrative and explanatory. Various changes in the size, shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrative construction and/or an illustrative method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

We claim:
 1. A single line stab coupler, comprising: a. a receptacle, comprising: i. a receptacle housing comprising:
 1. a receiving end and a mating slot through a predetermined portion of the receptacle housing, the mating slot defining a key receiver; and
 2. a connector end disposed opposite the receiving end; ii. a back plate disposed proximate the connector end; and iii. a hydraulic coupler disposed proximate the connector end and received at least partially into the back plate, the hydraulic coupler configured to operatively interface with a predetermined piece of subsea equipment; and b. a stab, comprising: i. a stab housing defining an interior void at least partially therethrough, the stab housing comprising a stab end configured to be cooperatively received into the receptacle and a handle end; ii. an alignment key disposed about a predetermined portion of the stab housing, the alignment key configured to be cooperatively received into the mating slot when the stab is inserted a predetermined distance into the receptacle and align the stab into the receptacle; iii. a grab sleeve collet disposed within the interior void proximate the stab end; iv. a sleeve guide disposed within the interior void intermediate the stab end and the handle end; v. a locking rod slidingly disposed within the interior void and extending through the grab sleeve collet and the sleeve guide; and vi. a spring disposed about the locking rod intermediate the handle end and the sleeve guide.
 2. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the receptacle and the stab housing comprise a set of cooperatively configured substantially tubular shapes.
 3. The single line stab of claim 1 further comprising a handle attached to the locking rod.
 4. The single line stab of claim 2, wherein: a. the handle further comprises a threaded locking rod; and b. the locking rod further comprises a handle attachment end (41) configured to attach to the handle connector.
 5. The single line stab of claim 2, wherein the handle attachment end (41) is configured to pivotally attach to the handle connector.
 6. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to be maneuvered by a remotely operated vehicle.
 7. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the receptacle housing comprises a conically shaped open portion proximate the receiving end, the conically shaped portion further comprising the mating slot.
 8. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein: a. the back plate further comprises a collet receiver configured to receive the grab sleeve collet; and b. the grab sleeve collet is configured to compress and then conform to the collet receiver as the collet receiver is received into the grab sleeve collet.
 9. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the spring is configured to keep the grab sleeve collet engaged.
 10. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the locking rod further comprises a boss (30 a) configured to prevent the grab sleeve collet from over-deforming.
 11. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein the connector end is configured to connect to a predetermined subsea equipment connector using a single compact hydraulic coupler.
 12. The single line stab of claim 1, wherein: a. the hydraulic coupler comprises two coupler ends; and b. each of the coupler ends comprises a medium pressure union fitting configured to be connected to a high collapse resistant (HCR) hose for a male stab.
 13. A method of stab insertion, comprising: a. positioning a stab proximate a receiving end of a complementarily shaped receptacle, the stab comprising a stab housing defining an interior void and a sleeve guide disposed within the interior void intermediate a stab end and a handle end; b. mating the stab into the receptacle by: i. inserting a stab end of the stab housing into the receiving end of the receptacle, the stab housing defining an interior void; and ii. inserting an alignment key disposed about a predetermined portion of the stab housing into a key receiver configured to cooperatively receive the alignment key; and iii. using the alignment key to align the stab and the receptacle as the stab is inserted a predetermined distance into the receptacle; c. allowing a grab sleeve collet disposed within the interior void proximate the stab end to compress and then conform to a collet receiver disposed within the receptacle as the stab is inserted into the receptacle; d. pulling back a threaded locking rod, slidingly disposed within the interior void and extending through the grab sleeve collet and the sleeve guide by rotating a handle connected to the locking rod; and e. mating the stab and the receiver by continuing the rotation of the locking rod to advance the stab into the receiver until the stab has advanced a predetermined distance into the receiver.
 14. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, wherein pulling the locking rod back further comprises pulling the locking rod into grab sleeve collet.
 15. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, wherein advancing the stab housing of the stab allows the stab housing to act as a nut on the locking rod.
 16. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, further comprising connecting the receiver to a predetermined piece of subsea equipment via a fluid conduit.
 17. The method of stab insertion of claim 16, wherein the fluid conduit comprises metal tubing or a high collapse resistant (HCR) hose.
 18. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, further comprising using the stab to sample fluid from or inject fluid into a predetermined piece of subsea equipment using a single compact hydraulic coupler, the fluid being injected or sampled further allowed to flow through the system after the stab and receptacle have been mated.
 19. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, further comprising: a. compressing the grab sleeve collet as the stab is advanced into the receptacle; b. allowing the grab sleeve collet to conform to the corresponding feature of the receptacle; c. using the spring disposed in the stab housing to keep the grab sleeve collet engaged; and d. using a boss on the locking rod to prevent the grab sleeve collet from over deforming, preventing damage to the grab sleeve collet.
 20. The method of stab insertion of claim 13, further comprising: a. using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to rotate the handle that is fastened to the threaded locking rod once the stab is in position, thereby pulling the locking rod back into the grab sleeve collet; b. continuing the rotation of the locking rod to advance the stab housing of the stab, which acts as a nut on the locking rod; and c. rotating the handle until the tab and receptacle are mated. 